Business Plan 2019-2022 - Environment Agency
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Business Plan 2019-2022
Draft for consultation: October 2018
To be published: April 2019
Our mission
Working together on sustainable management of flood and coastal erosion
risks, we will improve the health and wellbeing of our communities and the
environment in the North West
(To be) Published by:
North West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee
Richard Fairclough House
Knutsford Road
Latchford
Warrington
WA4 1HT
Tel: 03708 506506
Email: nw-rfcc@environment-agency.gov.uk
Website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/north-west-regional-flood-and-coastal-committee
The Flood Hub
© North West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee 2019
All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced with prior permission.
2
Foreword
Welcome to the (draft) North West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee's Business Plan in
which we set out our objectives and principle work streams for the period April 2019 to
March 2022.
The plan sets out the Committee's priorities to ensure it fulfils its responsibilities now and
furthers our ambition to look ahead and outwards to better address future challenges.
The work of the Committee is underpinned by sub regional strategic partnerships covering
Cheshire Mid Mersey, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Merseyside. The
Committee is also closely linked to the North West Coastal Group which brings together all
the coastal protection authorities for the region. There are ten local authority Councillors
who are members of both the Committee and the relevant strategic partnership who
provide local democracy and scrutiny.
There is mounting evidence that our climate is changing and recent weather events across
the world demonstrate that extremes of weather will increasingly be the norm. Considerable
work is ongoing to reduce the risk of flooding across the North West. This includes those
communities affected by Storms Desmond and Eva in December 2015 and elsewhere where
there is a risk of flooding. In the case of surface water flooding caused by intense rainfall,
impacts could be felt almost anywhere.
Against this background we want to set out a medium term view of what is likely to be
important for us as an RFCC to focus on. This is within the context being set by national
government's 25 year Environment Plan and the refresh of the national Flood and Coastal
Erosion Risk Management Strategy being led by the Environment Agency.
The Committee has considered the draft Business Plan but has not yet fully adopted it,
pending a period of engagement with stakeholders. We look forward to hearing your views.
Adrian Lythgo
Chair, North West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee
1
Contents
Who we are ............................................................................................................................... 3
This document in context .......................................................................................................... 3
Working in partnership ............................................................................................................. 4
Our mission statement and principles ...................................................................................... 6
Key risks ..................................................................................................................................... 7
Our priorities ............................................................................................................................. 7
What is at risk from flooding? ................................................................................................... 7
Investment programme and partnership funding .................................................................. 10
Maintaining the main rivers network ..................................................................................... 15
Natural flood management programme ................................................................................. 15
Developing the future programme ......................................................................................... 16
Looking to the future............................................................................................................... 16
1: Reducing the risk of harm from our changing environment .............................................. 18
2: Using and managing land sustainably ................................................................................. 20
3: Enabling sustainable economic growth and investment .................................................... 22
Using our locally raised funding .............................................................................................. 24
Annual Action Plan .................................................................................................................. 26
How to find out more .............................................................................................................. 27
Appendix 1 – North West RFCC members .............................................................................. 28
Appendix 2 – List of abbreviations .......................................................................................... 30
Appendix 3 – Glossary ............................................................................................................. 31
2
Who we are
We, the North West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC), are one of 12 RFCCs in England.
RFCCs were established under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. They bring together the
principle authorities responsible for managing flood and coastal erosion risk (Environment Agency,
lead local flood authorities and water companies) in their region.
Each RFCC is chaired by an independent chairperson who is appointed by the Government. The
Chair’s role includes managing the meetings, ensuring the RFCC is providing the required governance
to fulfil its role, and acting as a figurehead to represent the RFCC and its interests.
There are ten elected members (Councillors) on the
North West RFCC who are appointed by sub regional
partnerships to represent the interests and voice
concerns on behalf of people living and working in their
partnership area.
There are also seven independent members with
specialist skills or backgrounds who are appointed to
the RFCC by the Environment Agency. These
independent members represent the coast, nature
conservation, community engagement, agriculture, land
management, development, sustainability, and business
and the private sector. More details on the members and roles are provided in Appendix 1.
As an RFCC we have three main purposes:
1. to ensure there are coherent plans for identifying, communicating and managing flood and
coastal erosion risks across catchments and shorelines
2. to promote efficient, targeted and risk-based investment in flood and coastal erosion risk
management that optimises value for money and benefits for local communities
3. to provide a link between the Environment Agency, Lead Local Flood Authorities, other risk
management authorities, and other relevant bodies to engender mutual understanding of flood
and coastal erosion risks in its area
RFCCs play an important role in deciding local priorities, guiding flood and coastal risk management
activities within the sub regional partnership areas including along the coast, advising on and
approving programmes of work, and raising Local Levy to help fund local priority projects and works.
Works to manage flood and coastal erosion risk include maintaining and repairing existing defences
and assets, building new defences, improving flood warnings and working with local communities to
help them become more resilient and adapt to their risks.
This document in context
This document sets out our priorities as the North West RFCC, what we want to achieve, and what
we will do to achieve them, for the period 2019 – 2022. It covers how we will carry out our core role
as well as where we will go further to look ahead to future challenges, and how we will use our Local
Levy funding to support our aims.
3
The themes within the Business Plan have been consciously aligned with the developing direction for
the environment as a whole, as set out in the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan ('A Green
Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment', January 2018). Flooding and coastal erosion
are environmental hazards and the way we use our environment can reduce or exacerbate flooding.
It is therefore becoming increasingly important that we use and work with our natural environment
to manage flood and coastal erosion risk and take opportunities to improve the environment as a
whole as far as possible.
Through our forward looking North West RFCC Vision 2030 work, we were already actively
progressing elements now central to the 25 Year Environment Plan, for example natural flood
management. In setting our priorities and objectives for the next few years we have consolidated
and shaped these in line with the Environment Plan.
Secondly, a new national Flood and Coastal Risk Management strategy is currently being developed
through a collaborative approach to set the overall national vision for the future and to help us make
the necessary decisions in the right way. There are some key questions being considered in this
process which are still being answered. We will review this Business Plan in due course and evolve
our priorities in light of the developed strategy.
Working in partnership
In the North West, both as an RFCC and as risk management authorities delivering our
responsibilities, we actively take a partnership working approach, aiming to collectively do our best
for communities across the region. With an increasing focus on delivering multi-objective schemes
and aligning multiple funding sources, the need to work jointly is crucial. It is one of our core roles as
an RFCC to help make this work even more effectively.
Strategic flood risk partnerships
To embed partnership working, some years ago we established five partnerships around
geographical areas: Cheshire Mid Mersey, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and
Merseyside. These partnerships consist as a minimum of the same risk management authorities –
local authorities, United Utilities as the water company, and the Environment Agency. Some also
include other local partners not represented on the RFCC. The purpose of these groups is to provide
a partnership that is closer to local communities and the risks. They agree and promote investment
priorities, set a shared direction for local initiatives and support management of cross cutting issues.
They monitor delivery of the investment programme in their area and play an important role in
delivering the RFCC’s vision and the objectives in this business plan. These partnerships operate at
both strategic (including elected members appointed by local authorities to represent their local
authority at strategic partnership meetings) and tactical levels (officers from constituent risk
management authorities).
Cumbria’s partnership model developed in response to the flooding of December 2015 to
incorporate a much greater range of partners, community groups and stakeholders. This is
complemented by three catchment partnership groups with a similar broad representation.
The RFCC sees the partnership framework as essential to achieving effective partnership working and
part funds a resource for each of the five partnerships to provide co-ordination and administration,
hosted by a local authority partner.
4
The RFCC also has very close links with the North West Coastal Group which although it operates
under slightly different legislation and governance rules, effectively forms a sixth strategic
partnership group. The Coastal Group brings together the local authorities, the Environment Agency
and other organisations who manage the coastline from Great Orme's Head in Wales to the Scottish
Border on the Solway Firth. The coastline is a dynamic, ever-changing place that is home to many
people and businesses, as well as being important for its variety of environmental and geologic
features. The Group examines the social, economic and environmental issues that arise on the
coastline and seek to find the best policies to deal with them.
Partnership Structure and Links to Regional Groups
North West Regional Flood & Coastal Committee
North West
(RFCC)
Coastal Group
Regional governance and funding decisions
Supported by Sub Groups e.g. for Finance
5 x Sub-Regional FCERM Partnerships – Links
Partnership Coordinator
Links to
Strategic Groups between
other groups
Partnerships
e.g. Local To set the strategic direction for joint working and
Line of sight linking decision making and
via
Resilience the management of flood risk across the
Coordinators
Forums, Partnership.
funding to local delivery
Local
Elected Members and senior representatives from
Enterprise
Partnerships, the Risk Management Authorities
Coastal
Combined Sub-Groups
Authorities,
Planning 5 x Sub-Regional FCERM Partnerships –
officers Tactical Groups
groups,
Technical and operational leads/managers who
Catchment
coordinate delivery, share skills and implement
partnerships
decisions made by the Strategic Partnership
Local Authority Area
Operational Groups
Partnership with United Utilities
United Utilities are a key partner in the management of flood risk and have been consistently
represented on the RFCC for some years. Their role is particularly critical in these areas:
Strategic planning around the use of water supply and flood risk assets
Customer engagement and what we can learn for community engagement
Alignment of investment programmes
Surface water flooding and designing 21st century drainage solutions
5
Integrated catchment planning and natural flood management which reduces flood risk and
improves drinking water quality
Wider links
The RFCC brings together at a regional level the organisations who have an interest in managing the
risk of flooding and coastal erosion. With an increasing appreciation for the interconnectedness of
flood risk management, the wider environment, development, and community resilience, we see a
need for building stronger links with other government bodies in the North West, both within the
wider Defra family (e.g. Forestry Commission, Natural England, Rural Payments Agency) and within
other government departments (e.g. planning authorities within the remit of the Ministry of
Housing, Communities and Local Government). We will take steps to achieve this including
considering the membership of the North West RFCC, or representation of the RFCC at other forums.
There are also other initiatives ongoing in the North West which seek to focus on achieving
improvements to the water environment. With the potential to achieve multiple benefits, both in
relation to flood risk reduction and the wider environment, we see opportunities for stronger
engagement with these projects and groups and their outputs.
Of particular interest are the Defra-sponsored Pioneer projects testing approaches to implementing
the 25 Year Environment Plan, two of which are in the North West - the Cumbria Catchment Pioneer,
and the Greater Manchester Urban Pioneer. These projects are looking at themes including public
and community engagement, environmental land management, natural capital accounting, whole
catchment approach and its governance, partnership working, the net gain principle for development
and innovative financing.
Natural Course is a European Union funded project to improve and protect the water quality of the
North West. Many of the measures taken to improve water quality also reduce the risk of flooding.
Both are about the management of water within catchments and are both closely linked with
strategic and spatial planning and land use. We therefore aim to take an integrated approach,
developing shared goals, and aligning or combining action and engagement wherever possible.
The Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) embeds collaborative working at a river catchment scale to
deliver cross-cutting improvements to our water environments. Catchment partnerships, bringing
together local knowledge and expertise, are active in all catchments in England. They include NGOs,
water companies, local authorities, government agencies, landowners, angling clubs, farmer
representative bodies, academia and local businesses. There are 12 catchment partnerships across
the North West: Derwent, South West Lakes, Kent/Leven, Lune, Wyre, Ribble, Douglas, Alt/Crossens,
Irwell, Upper Mersey, Mersey Estuary, and Weaver/Gowy.
Our mission statement and principles
Mission statement
Working together on sustainable management of flood and coastal erosion risks, we will improve the
health and wellbeing of our communities and the environment in the North West.
We have identified a number of principles which guide our priorities, decision making and action.
We will involve, listen to and do the best for our communities
We will work together in partnership and make delivering multiple benefits in an integrated way
the default approach to make funding go further
6
We will find sustainable approaches, taking a long term perspective to climate change and
changing risks
We will work to unlock and enable economic regeneration and growth by aligning investment in
flood risk management with opportunities for wider investment and development
Key risks
The top risks that we as an RFCC see and have a role in managing are:
Slippage of projects in the investment programme (including the natural flood management
programme)
Communities that have experienced flooding feeling disenfranchised
Limited understanding of the scale and potential impact of surface water flooding
Our priorities
Successful and timely delivery of the investment programme
Working in partnership in an even stronger and more integrated way, delivering multiple benefits
in all aspects of our work wherever possible
Gaining a better understanding of surface water flood risk and how we are addressing it
What is at risk from flooding?
The North West RFCC and its constituent partners are responsible for managing flood risk across
some 14,921 sq km of North West England. The area covers around 6,500 km of designated main
river, almost 300 km of estuary and 826 km of coastline.
Over 140,000 residential and commercial properties have been identified as being at risk from
flooding from rivers or the sea. Around 34,000 properties are at significant risk from surface water
flooding.
Flooding can have a major impact on critical infrastructure and there are a number of major
transport routes in the NW including the M6, M62, M57, M58, M61, M53, M56 motorways and the
West Coast mainline. We have also seen the significant disruption caused when locally critical
infrastructure is impacted such as the closure of the A591 in Cumbria following Storm Desmond in
December 2015.
The North West is the second most deprived region in England. Most of the deprived
neighbourhoods are located in urban areas, particularly Blackpool, Liverpool and Manchester. These
often coincide with areas of high flood risk, impacting those who are least able to help themselves.
The maps on the following pages show communities which are at risk of flooding from rivers and the
sea, and from surface water. The size of the circles indicates the numbers of residential properties
affected.
For every residential property at risk, there is an individual, a family, or group who could experience
the devastating impact of flooding at any time. And even if they are aware of the risk, have signed up
for flood warnings and have a plan for what to do if the worst happened, they may live in fear,
feeling anxious every time it rains. For every business at risk, livelihoods and jobs can be jeopardised.
7
Communities at risk of flooding from rivers and the sea
8Communities at risk of flooding from surface water
9Surface water flooding
Our changing climate has led to an increasing frequency of intense rainfall events often resulting in
drainage networks being overwhelmed, surface water flooding is a real and growing issue. It is the
most unpredictable and therefore least understood and mapped source of flooding. This makes it
more difficult to communicate the risk to those potentially affected.
Urban development can make surface water flooding worse if sustainable drainage systems are not
correctly designed or maintained. This underlines the importance of those involved in the
development process working together to ensure surface water flood risk is well managed and,
where possible, reduced.
We as the North West RFCC recognise the need for us and our constituent partners to improve our
level of understanding of the risk that surface water flooding poses across the North West. The risk is
greatest in urban conurbations of which we have several in the south of the region. With our
partners and key stakeholders we will then assess the extent to which we are addressing surface
water flooding within the future investment pipeline and through other measures such as promoting
the adoption of sustainable drainage systems and green infrastructure.
Effective surface water management requires coordinated action by all of those with responsibilities
for managing land, rivers and drainage systems. Lead Local Flood Authorities have the leadership role
on surface water management but others, including water companies also have important roles to
play and the responsibilities between different parties is not always clear cut, particularly when the
source of flooding is unclear or there are different sources working in combination. These
responsibilities will be clarified in the new National FCERM Strategy.
Investment programme and partnership
funding
In addition to carrying out the essential maintenance and
repair of existing flood defences, flood risk management
authorities reduce the risk of flooding by building new
flood risk management schemes. Sometimes these
replace existing defences which are at the end of their
life, sometimes in new locations, and seek to improve the
standard of protection wherever possible. This activity is
delivered through a large England-wide capital River Mersey scheme, Warrington
programme. A large part of the funding for this
programme is provided by central government in the form of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk
Management Grant in Aid (FCERMGiA).
There is a 6 year plan for investment in flood and coastal erosion risk management. Between 2015
and 2021, the government is investing £2.6 billion in more than 1,500 projects which will reduce
flood or coastal erosion risk to more than 300,000 homes. As part of this settlement, the government
gave two conditions: to achieve at least 15% (£345 million) of funding contributions from other
partners and to achieve the same outcomes with 10% efficiency savings. The benefits of this longer
term settlement include longer term planning, improved efficiency and effectiveness, and greater
opportunities for collaborative working.
10The partnership funding mechanism means that any cost-beneficial scheme can attract an amount of
FCERMGiA but depending on the scheme cost and the benefits it will deliver, the GiA may not be
enough to cover the full cost, often leaving a funding gap which needs to be filled by other
contributions. These include contributions from public (mainly local authorities) and private sector
partners, and Local Levy provided by the RFCC.
Schemes are developed and proposed by risk management authorities (RMAs) working with
communities. It is essential that the philosophy of partnership working is at the heart of developing
and delivering schemes.
RFCCs endorse and put forward those schemes, which are then prioritised nationally based on the
return on investment, measured through the partnership funding mechanism. The North West RFCC
supports this national prioritisation approach and sees its role as ensuring sufficient and suitable
schemes are being put forward which reflect the flood and coastal erosion risk across the region and
which take advantage of partnership working where the wider benefits of schemes become shared
outcomes.
Within the 6-year investment
Partnership Contributions
£34 million programme, the North West RFCC
has been allocated £287million of
FCERMGiA with the expectation
Local Levy
£16 million that for this we will reduce the risk
of flooding to around 43,000
properties. Along with other
funding contributions from partners
(both public and private sector) and
the North West Local Levy this
FCERM GiA represents a total investment
£287 million
across the north west of £337
million.
For more details on the schemes
making up the 6-year investment
programme please follow this link.
Delivering the investment programme
The 43,000 homes to be better protected through the North West investment programme is an
important (14%) contribution to the overall 300,000 homes we need to better protect nationally.
As at October 2018, we have better protected over 26,500 homes, representing 63% of the total.
Right now, delivering the remainder of this programme is the biggest difference we can make to
managing flood risk in the North West. The successful delivery of the remainder of the 6 year
investment programme is dependent on timely delivery by many risk management authorities.
With only 1% (equivalent to 450 homes) of the North West programme still working to secure full
funding packages, the emphasis is now on getting technical approval for (provided by the
Environment Agency on behalf of Defra) and constructing the remaining schemes.
As an RFCC we recognise that there are challenges involved in delivering any flood or coastal erosion
risk management scheme – they can be complex and working in partnership with communities and
11partners takes time and resources. We also recognise that people resources are often tight
particularly in local authorities where budgets are under pressure and there are many competing
priorities. As a result we have taken steps to support our risk management authorities to deliver their
projects.
The main step we have taken is to provide the funding for an additional five resources, one per
partnership, dedicated to working alongside the local authorities to actively support them in project
development and delivery. These additional resources have been well received by the local
authorities and we are seeing a positive impact on the pace of project delivery.
“The…appointment has been a great boost to us “The Advisor has tailored interventions focusing
in Cumbria. The future for flood risk reduction on lack of resource and other
schemes, including the districts responsible for barriers…Communication has been excellent.
coastal concerns, looks much more positive with Opportunities for accelerating schemes have
the Project Advisor in place.’(Cumbria County been identified and acted upon.” (Wirral
Council) Council)
Based on forecast data regularly provided by those authorities delivering projects on the programme,
each quarter we review progress and any delays arising which could impact the successful delivery of
the North West 6-year investment programme. We do this through our Finance Sub Group who apply
a level of scrutiny to delivery of the programme, who then report back their findings and
recommendations to the full RFCC. Each of the strategic partnerships groups also has a mechanism
for reviewing progress and identifying issues arising.
Below is a summary of the investment programme which shows for each risk management authority
in each of the five partnerships, the level of investment being made in the current 6-year
programme, the number of homes to be better protected, and the progress made so far. Data is
current at the end of the 2017/18 financial year.
Table 1 – Investment and homes to be better protected by each risk management authority in the
North West 2015-2021
Homes to Homes
FCERM GiA Local Levy Partnership Total
be better better
Authority (lead) investment investment Contributions investment
protected protected
£million £million £million £million
Total so far
North West Coastal Group (Coastal schemes)
Allerdale 0 0 0 0 320 0
Blackpool 10.39 0 2.00 12.39 5,315 5,315
Lancaster City 10.39 0 0 10.39 11,426 5,956
Wyre 47.06 0 0.03 47.09 8,291 7,497
Fylde 21.01 0 0 21.01 2,347 0
Sefton 4.58 0.06 1.72 6.36 150 0
Wirral 1.65 1.32 1.44 4.42 92 0
12Cumbria partnership
Cumbria County
2.88 1.20 1.58 5.66 1,077 81
Council
Environment
72.17 4.32 8.17 84.66 3,229 442
Agency
Lancashire partnership
Blackburn with
1.26 0.20 0 1.46 274 144
Darwen
Blackpool 0.28 0.01 0 0.29 38 38
Lancashire
1.39 0.30 0 1.69 173 104
County Council
Environment
31.32 1.97 5.10 38.39 4,022 3,577
Agency
Greater Manchester partnership
Bolton 3.40 0 0.36 3.76 453 38
Bury 0 0 0 0 0 0
Derbyshire 0.13 0 0.005 0.14 61 0
Manchester 1.05 0.12 0 1.17 253 30
Oldham 0.99 0.22 0.14 1.35 96 18
Rochdale 0.20 0.19 0.15 0.54 66 66
Salford 0.17 0 0 0.17 81 0
Stockport 0 0 0 0 0 0
Tameside 0.03 0 0.02 0.05 17 17
Trafford 0 0 0 0 0 0
Wigan 0.18 0 0 0.18 0 0
Environment
41.58 1.57 8.70 51.85 3,490 2,127
Agency
Cheshire Mid Mersey partnership
Cheshire East 0.40 0.20 0.16 0.76 144 15
Cheshire West
0 0.23 0.07 0.30 4 0
and Chester
Halton 0.12 0.05 0.06 0.23 95 0
St Helens 0.04 0.07 0 0.11 0 0
Staffordshire 0.17 0 0 0.17 27 27
Warrington 0.97 0.14 0 1.11 151 63
Environment
19.10 2.39 3.95 25.44 1,578 1,090
Agency
Merseyside partnership
Knowsley 0.12 0 0.005 0.12 46 0
Liverpool 0.47 0 0.08 0.55 199 0
Sefton 0.95 0.03 0.01 0.99 127 0
Wirral 0.24 0 0.07 0.31 11 11
13Environment
7.76 0 0 7.76 0 0
Agency
Cross Partnership
Environment
4.99 1.26 0 6.25 0 0
Agency
North West
287.20 15.85 33.74 336.79 43,333 26,656
RFCC Total
Note: Where there appear to be limited number of homes better protected for the investment being
made it is because the completion of those schemes is outside of the 2015-2021 programme period
or assets other than homes are benefitting e.g. critical infrastructure.
The Top 10 schemes representing 59% of the 43,000 homes to be better protected are set out below.
Half of these are already complete.
Table 2 – Top 10 North West schemes
Scheme Homes better Progress
protected 2015 -
2021
Morecambe Wave Reflection Wall Phases 11,416 Due for completion in
1-3 2018/19
Rossall Coastal Protection Improvement 7,497 Completed 2017
Scheme
Anchorsholme Coastal Protection 4,814 Completed 2017
Improvement Scheme
Wyre Dune and Beach Management 1,915 Partially complete, due for
Scheme final completion in 2020
Kendal 1,557 For completion in 2020
Fairhaven to Church Scar Coast Protection 1,357 For completion in 2020
Scheme
River Irwell, Salford 1,110 Completed 2017
Jacks Key Reservoir Improvements, Darwen 1,098 Completed 2017
Radcliffe and Redvales, Bury 812 For completion in 2021
River Mersey, Warrington 656 (2,156*) Completed 2018
*Total homes better protected by the scheme, including before 2015
River Irwell scheme, Salford
14Main rivers network
Our rivers are a valuable natural asset which enhance the beauty and character of our towns and
cities, and provide recreational opportunities. As we seek to apply a Natural Capital approach to our
work, rivers will be an important element of this and there may be increasing opportunities to work
in partnership with others on their enhancement and maintenance.
Since rivers often present a flood risk they have assets in place to help
manage this e.g. flood banks. The RFCC approve the annual
programme to maintain assets on the main river network. This is the
part of the maintenance programme funded by FCERMGiA and
delivered by the Environment Agency. This funding is also used to
maintain incident response capability including clearing debris from
screens and installing temporary flood defences. Local authorities and
United Utilities also carry out their own maintenance of assets for
which they are responsible.
When government funding falls short of the need, the RFCC has in the
past supported the programme with contributions of Local Levy
funding. This is not currently the case but we will keep this under Clearing debris from river
review. In 2018/19 £10.8m of government GiA funding is being spent screen, Crawshawbooth
on maintenance of the main river network across the North West.
Natural flood management programme
In recent years there has been a growing recognition of the
role that natural processes can play in managing flood flows
and coastal erosion when used in conjunction with engineered
flood defences. The North West RFCC recognised it’s potential
and has invested Local Levy funding to explore opportunities
and build partnerships to develop natural flood management.
Following the 2016 Autumn Statement, Defra announced £15
million of government funding for natural flood management
Ribble Life Together project projects across England. The Environment Agency, together
with risk management authorities, Natural England and
Forestry Commission, identified a number of projects at a catchment or coastal zone scale. The
progress we had already made in the North West meant that we were successful in securing £4.1m
of the funding. Delivery of these projects is a top priority for the RFCC and its constituent partners.
There was also an open competition to allocate £1m to community projects, five of which are in the
North West. Our constituent partners are engaging with these projects via the catchment
partnerships. Click here to view a map of all the government funded projects.
We are continuing to provide a reduced level of investment from Local Levy on natural flood
management projects to progress other opportunities we had identified that are not eligible to use
the GiA funding.
15Developing the future programme
Risk management authorities are developing a pipeline of projects beyond 2021 for consideration in
future programmes.
Across the North West we have so far identified a broad estimate of need of £2 billion beyond 2021
and will continue to develop the scheme details and seek funding, working in partnership with
communities.
As part of managing flood and erosion risk on the coast, coastal authorities continue to use the
Shoreline Management Planning process to establish management policies for stretches of coast into
the future, to develop strategies to identify how policy implementation is best achieved, and to
develop coastal management schemes. Recognising the impact that this could have on the coast, and
the number of communities, homes, businesses and infrastructure which could be impacted, we
have provided Local Levy funding for a resource to co-ordinate and support this work.
The government is currently reviewing its partnership funding mechanism for flood and coastal
erosion projects, a review to which we have contributed. Changes to it may be made for the post
2021 programme. This is likely to affect the relative priority of scheme proposals and the amount of
government funding they can secure and will also drive the need for multiple benefit schemes.
It is our view that as well as securing central government funding available, it is vital that we look to
the significant investment being made across the North West and the Northern Powerhouse as an
equally important source of partners and collaboration opportunity. We are actively engaging with
the Manchester and Liverpool City Regions, Local Enterprise Partnerships, Council Leaders and Chief
Executives, infrastructure providers and many more to incorporate flood and coastal erosion risk as
one issue affecting the environment, health and wellbeing of our communities. Recognising and
valuing the full range of benefits (environmental, social, economic, health and wellbeing etc.) of
potential interventions will be critical to aligning investment and maximising the potential benefit.
Developments in Natural Capital accounting now being pushed through the 25 Year Environment
Plan will be a key element of this and it is likely we will need to find other means of valuing the other
benefits. There is much more to be done on this and supporting this engagement will be a priority for
the RFCC in the coming years.
Looking to the future
In addition to fulfilling our core purpose including overseeing the development and delivery of the
investment programme, we have long recognised the need to look ahead and outwards, and to
support innovation and pioneering activities which may not be integral to current ways of working.
We also recognise the need to invest to save or to improve ways of working which have great
potential benefits but may not be current priorities for funding. This led to the development of our
RFCC Vision, under which we have provided Local Levy funding for projects and resources to progress
some valuable initiatives. We have recently refreshed this Vision, re-examining what more we can do
for people, the environment and the economy.
16North West RFCC Vision framework
Our long term goals
Reducing the risk of harm from Enabling sustainable Using and managing land
our changing environment economic growth and sustainably
investment
Communities say they understand Developers recognise the Flood flows in both rural and
flood and coastal erosion risk importance of flood risk and urban areas are reduced and
better and are helped to adapt so climate change adaptation and managed, working with natural
as to reduce their fear of flooding. we work together, accessing a processes as part of an integrated
broader range of funding sources, whole catchment approach.
We promote and deliver the right to facilitate flood-resilient
solutions for our coastal development which provides
communities, managing and wider benefits to communities,
adapting to coastal change and business and the economy.
helping those communities to
adapt.
17A: Reducing the risk of harm from our
changing environment
Our long term goal: Communities say they understand
flood and coastal erosion risk better and are helped to
adapt so as to reduce their fear of flooding or coastal
erosion
There are many flood risk management schemes already in
place which provide a level of protection to communities
from flooding and coastal erosion. Authorities will continue
to develop and deliver the investment programme to reduce
the risk of flooding and coastal erosion as far as possible,
using a combination of interventions and approaches from Developing a community flood plan at
source to sea. However we are already seeing more Irwell Vale, Lancashire
extreme weather events and sea level will continue to rise
as climate change manifests itself. The risk of flooding and coastal erosion is therefore going to
increase as time goes on. It will never be affordable or feasible to provide total protection from
flooding everywhere. If we are to reduce the risk of harm to people, including the fear that flooding
and coastal erosion cause, those affected need to be ready to act in the event of flooding. As a
society we need to anticipate the increasing risk resulting from climate change and adapt our homes,
businesses and infrastructure so that damage and harm are avoided or recovery is easier, quicker
and less costly.
Our long term goal: We promote and deliver the right solutions for our coastal communities,
managing and adapting to coastal change and helping those communities to adapt
Coasts are subject to natural movement and change but with rising sea levels and more extreme
weather events, in the long term it is not going to be sustainable to defend and preserve the
coastline exactly where it is. Given that in some places this may involve the complete loss of land, the
impact on coastal communities and the need for them to adapt may be great. Supporting these
communities in this adaptation requires long lead times and may require significant resources. In the
North West we are not yet experiencing significant coastal change but over the coming decades we
will start to see change and the need to adapt will become a bigger and more urgent priority. We as
the RFCC recognise that we need to start now by understanding the likely scale of this challenge and
how this will need to be approached to support coastal communities in the best possible way.
Objectives - What we aim to achieve by 2022:
1. To measure, assess and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of risk management authorities’
collective engagement with communities on flood and coastal erosion risk management
2. To better understand the increasing risks in the North West arising from our changing climate
and develop means of communicating this in order to increase communities’ resilience
3. To build an evidence base to demonstrate to coastal communities the likely scale of challenge
faced in managing coastal erosion
4. Using this evidence to begin discussing adaptation options with those communities
18We will achieve this by:
Providing Local Levy funding for partners to deliver new tools, standards and guidance including
those below
Providing Local Levy funding for additional resources to support direct public engagement,
especially in urban areas where the sense of community may be different and where people may
be more difficult to engage
Launching a new North West FloodHub website as a key communication and engagement tool
for individuals, communities and professional partners across the region
Agreeing standards for community and public engagement to be adopted by our risk
management authorities and strategic partnerships
Developing tools and skills to support engagement which deals with multiple sources of flooding
so that communities feel they receive a joined-up support service from professional partners
Placing a renewed focus on the impacts to and resilience of businesses, as well as communities
Developing up-to-date educational resources aligned with the National Curriculum for teachers
to download from FloodHub
Continuing to monitor the changing environment, especially on the coast, and using strategic
planning to identify what can be done
Understanding updates of the Shoreline Management Plan and appreciating what they could
mean in terms of our approach and adaptation for coastal communities
Examining the barriers to implementation of coastal management policies and taking steps which
may help remove these barriers
Developing effective communication strategies to tell the story of change and the impact on
communities including enhancement and development of online communication tools
We will have made a difference if:
Significant numbers of individuals, communities, teachers, charitable organisations and
professional partners are making use of the FloodHub website
There is a measurable increase in the number of residents and businesses signed up to the full
Flood Warning service
More than one community group in each strategic partnership group area feels that engagement
with professional partners collectively has improved.
There are significant numbers of hits on the section of FloodHub targeted at businesses
The Cumbria Coastal Strategy is adopted following business case submission in 2019
There are more Coastal Flood Action Groups covering a larger proportion of the north west coast
which will enhance communications and response mechanisms
There is enhancement of the Coastal Group’s web presence, by developing the North West
Coastal Group website to make it more visual and easier to navigate (launching 2019), by having
links to it from a new national Coastal Hub website, and by developing a new online community
platform Coast Watchers currently being piloted by Wyre Council.
19B: Using and managing land sustainably
Our long term goal: Flood flows in both rural and urban areas
are reduced and managed, working with natural processes as
part of an integrated whole catchment approach, including
relevant coastal considerations
In the past flood defence primarily used hard engineering solutions
which separated communities from their rivers; the area of hard
impermeable surfaces in urban areas continues to increase; and we
have a system of agricultural subsidies which doesn’t encourage
environmentally beneficial land management. With more extreme
rainfall events we see rapid surface water run-off, sewers and drains
being overwhelmed, often leading to flooding, as well as
overtopping of flood defences. There is now a growing Installation of SuDS enabled tree
appreciation of the need to use natural processes, considered as a trench, Salford
whole catchment, as one element of managing flood risk. While
this will only be part of the solution, to be used in conjunction with engineering solutions and
property-level adaptation, there is now a great opportunity to better manage flood flows while also
greatly benefitting the environment and wildlife, re-connecting communities to their rivers, and
creating valuable green space for them to enjoy. Exercise and access to green space has a significant
positive benefit on health and wellbeing, particularly mental health. The work of the RFCC and its
partners could play an important role in enhancing the natural environment and providing
opportunities for people to connect with it.
We have recognised natural flood management (NFM) as a priority in our Vision work for some years
and as a result of identifying opportunities, generating partnerships and sharing experiences, once
additional government funding was provided for a natural flood management programme we were
successful in securing a significant proportion of it. Delivery of the North West natural flood
management programme is now underway, partly funded from GiA and partly from our Local Levy.
On the issue of agricultural subsidies we recognise the opportunity that Brexit now presents to
develop a new UK system of subsidies which incentivises and rewards sustainable land management
(including helping to slow flows). We will keep up to date with developments on this and will provide
input and comment where opportunities arise.
Finally, there are some areas, both rural and coastal, which have historically been maintained or
drained to prevent flooding and coastal erosion but where this regime is no longer economically
viable or affordable and will cease in the coming years. Authorities are and will continue to support
communities and landowners in adapting to this, helping them to take on the maintenance
themselves where agreed. The RFCC supports authorities in facilitating this adaptation.
Objectives - What we aim to achieve by 2022:
1. To successfully deliver, build on and develop our natural flood management programme
2. To develop and strengthen partners’ approach to engaging, planning and managing water at
catchment scale
3. To agree some waterbodies which could be operated to both maintain supply and help reduce
flood risk, and to implement revised or trial operating protocol on at least one
204. To increase the adoption of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and green infrastructure on new
developments and its retrofitting on existing developments
5. To find more ways to enhance the environment and recreational amenity through our flood risk
management programme
6. To influence the future system of environmental land management payments and to make best
use of the existing payments.
We will achieve this by:
Providing Local Levy funding for a resource to co-ordinate and support partners delivering
projects in our Local Levy-funded natural flood management (NFM) programme
Monitoring delivery of our GiA and Local Levy funded NFM programmes, ensuring evidence and
lessons learned are shared.
Providing short term Local Levy funding for resources to co-ordinate and support the three
catchment partnership groups in Cumbria with a view to lessons learned and good practice being
shared, and adopted where appropriate, across the North West
Encouraging authorities to identify and reach agreement on waterbodies to trial revised
operating protocols to help manage flood flows
Providing Local Levy match funding for a resource to enhance collaboration between United
Utilities, the Environment Agency, local authorities and other partners, including through better
data sharing and opportunity mapping
Understanding how sustainable drainage requirements are being implemented on new
developments, issues constraining this and identifying any steps we could take across the North
West to encourage stronger and more consistent implementation
Encouraging land use changes in towns and cities to allow natural flood management
Remaining aware of the developing framework for agricultural subsidies and incentives post
Brexit, inputting to the debate to both shape environmental land management payments in the
future and also to make the best use of the existing payments framework during transition
Continuing to encourage risk management authorities to build enhancements into schemes
wherever possible including increasing access to water, creating areas of wildlife habitat and
green spaces available for public recreation and amenity
We will have made a difference if:
We use our full allocation of funding to 2021 for the natural flood management (NFM)
programme, delivered through an effective partnership approach, to implement numerous
measures which will be tested for their effectiveness as rainfall events allow
We have identified additional NFM opportunities to form a future programme
We agree and start to trial revised operating procedures on at least one waterbody by 2020
There is evidence of greater integration of risk management authority programmes as a result of
the new UU-hosted collaboration resource
21C: Enabling sustainable economic growth and
investment
Our long term goal: Relevant developers
and planners recognise the importance
of flood and coastal erosion risk and
climate change adaptation, and are
aware of how managing flood risk can
unlock additional development,
economic regeneration and growth
potential. Effective joint working leads to
accessing a broader range of funding
sources, facilitates flood-resilient Flooding at Caton Road, Lancaster, December 2015
development and provides wider
benefits to communities, business and the economy
Flood and coastal erosion risk schemes can take many years to put in place especially if additional
funding contributions need to be sourced. Historically economic appraisals of schemes have focussed
most on the benefits of a reduced flood risk in terms of property damage avoided. The degree to
which other benefits (environmental, social, recreation, tourism, health, and wellbeing) have been
valued has been variable. It is by recognising the full value of schemes that we will find shared
outcomes with other partners, align funding, and deliver more benefits.
The current funding mechanism for FCERMGiA seeks 15% contributions across the programme from
other sources. For the 2015-2021 investment programme, 17% of the total investment being made
across the North West is coming from partnership contributions (including Local Levy). Currently risk
management authorities don’t always achieve or aim to achieve a 15% partnership contribution on
individual schemes if the scheme already attracts a high proportion (>85%) of FCERMGiA. If the RFCC
can support other ways of working which secure more contributions, particularly from the private
sector, reducing the reliance on FCERMGiA, then we will be better able to address local priorities and
can reduce the risk to more communities, homes and businesses overall.
Objectives - What we aim to achieve by 2022:
1. To increase understanding of the multiple benefits of flood and coastal erosion risk management
schemes, how to value and promote them, and develop the skills pipeline in the North West to
support the timely and effective development of place-based schemes and approaches.
2. To attract new partners and funding for integrated schemes, particularly from the private sector,
which will reduce flood or coastal erosion risk and provide multiple benefits
We will achieve this by:
Developing tools for and skills in risk management authority officers to be able to estimate the
value of the multiple benefits of future schemes. This includes identifying the avoided costs of
flood incidents on health, education, incident management, clean-up and recovery etc.
22 Promoting, as part of our RFCC communications and engagement work, the range and value of
social, environmental and economic benefits provided by flood risk and coastal erosion
management schemes
Providing support and resource to draw down European Regional Development Funding for four
of our major flood risk management schemes, maximising our use of this funding source before
the UK’s departure from the EU
Developing a shared understanding of potential sources of funding, both from the public and
private sectors, after Brexit
Providing focussed support (possibly Local Levy funding but also influence and engagement) to
major schemes in the future investment programme which have significant benefits but which
are struggling to find funding
Keeping up to date with developments on the natural capital approach and up-skilling risk
management authority officers in the approach and how to apply it in the flood and coastal
erosion risk management context
Gathering information on plans for investment in housing and infrastructure across the North
West and then developing a targeted future investment strategy
Maintaining resources and building skills within partner organisations and exploring ways of
sharing those skills with our ‘at risk’ communities and residents so as to build community
capacity.
We will have made a difference if:
We can list and value the full range of benefits arising from flood risk management schemes and
risk management authority officers feel they have the skills and tools to assess the full economic
value of future schemes
We use this new evidence base to produce communication tools (e.g. prospectus) to engage new
partners in alignment of our investment programmes
We increase the proportion of investment programme funding coming from non-FCERMGiA
sources from its current baseline for the 2015-2021 programme of 17%.
23Using our locally raised funding
What the Local Levy is used for
Regional Flood and Coastal Committees raise a Local Levy from their Lead Local Flood Authorities to
support local priorities for addressing flood risk and coastal erosion. It provides an invaluable resource
to enable us to set our own local agenda, to address priorities to best effect whilst maximising funds
available from all sources to manage flood risk.
Local levy can be allocated to flood risk management related spend within the scope and remit of the
RFCC and is entirely at our discretion. It is accessed and led by flood and coastal risk management
authorities (including local authorities). Unlike many other public finances, local levy balances can be
carried forward across financial years and earmarked for use in future years.
We have used Local Levy as a contribution towards FCERM schemes enabling them to attract
FCERMGiA and other funding when they would otherwise not reach the required partnership funding
threshold. On those schemes with Levy contributions providing part of the funding, for every £1 of
Local Levy invested we have drawn in £2 of other funding on average, and between £5 and £100 in
half of cases.
It therefore represents a sound investment option for local authorities to attract significant funding
for flood risk reduction in local communities. The impacts of changing weather patterns and climate
change mean that the national programme and FCERMGiA funding is likely to be under increasing
pressure.
We are also using our Local Levy to progress strategic initiatives like the North West RFCC Vision work
streams and to provide staff resources who provide important functions supporting the RFCC,
partnerships and risk management authorities without which fewer outcomes would be achieved.
Rolling 6-year programme
Since the start of the 2015-2021 investment programme, the North West RFCC has had a rolling 6-year
Local Levy programme which is refreshed annually in line with any changes to FCERMGiA funding for
schemes and in line with changing local needs. We also receive and consider additional requests from
risk management authorities for Local Levy during the year. Levy allocations are approved for specific
projects/schemes across the region where there is a clear and justified need.
The programme has been shaped around the following categories:
1 Delivery of capital schemes which protect properties at risk, and studies to develop scheme
proposals which will support future funding bids
2 Projects and resources to support the innovative and pioneering work carried out under the North
West RFCC’s Vision
3 ‘Quick Win’ funds for the strategic flood risk partnerships for smaller schemes that can be
grouped or implemented quickly to provide benefits to communities suffering from frequent
flooding
4 Invest to save activities which do not attract government funding but which will lead to reduced
future investment
5 Resources to provide the necessary infrastructure to support effective partnership working
6 Support for maintenance work and asset repairs on main rivers where allocated national GiA
funding falls short of providing effective protection.
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